


From Rio to Tokyo

by kickcows



Series: 'Please Let Me' [5]
Category: Free!
Genre: Falling In Love, Fluff and Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-25
Updated: 2016-06-25
Packaged: 2018-07-18 02:33:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,024
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7296037
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kickcows/pseuds/kickcows
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rin competes in the Olympics in Rio, where he doesn't make the cut. He returns to Japan, and decides to try again for the Olympics on his home turf.</p>
            </blockquote>





	From Rio to Tokyo

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kindofabadger](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kindofabadger/gifts).



> Prompt - "Please let me lose this old weight that I tow."

* * *

***

The first Olympics Rin attended as a competitor was the 2016 Summer Olympics in Brazil. Seventeen thousand kilometers from home, Rin found himself lost among a sea of strangers, in a city that seemed larger than life. He went there with the team from Japan, his coach in Australia insisting he join the team after a spot had opened up. He had made “friends” on the team, but had not gotten close to anyone, not like the friends he had had in high school. Maybe that had been his first mistake - not really associating himself with his teammates. There’s no ‘i’ in team, and he felt this on their journey to Rio. A whole lot of ‘I’ and not enough ‘team’. But, he had stuck with it, and had competed in the 100 meter freestyle, which he had come in 4th place. _That_ had hurt. To be so close to a medal, and to not get it. When they took the plane back to Japan, he had sworn that this was it; no more Olympics for him. But, the head coach knew what he was capable of, and decided to leave it up to him, on if he wanted to compete again in the 2020 Olympics. He didn’t give his answer then, which the coach had respected. He had just given him the schedule for when they would begin to train again, since 2020 would be there before he knew it.

And so, he finds himself in front of the Olympic training facility in Tokyo, the bag he had used for the 2016 Olympics on his shoulder, ballcap on his head, maroon hair tied into twin pigtails on the side of his neck. Not knowing what to expect, and hating that, he heads into the building, and makes his way towards the swimming pool. He hadn’t stepped foot inside a public pool for over a year, hitting his lowest of lows upon his return from Rio, only using his family’s pool to practice. But now that he’s back, the familiar smell of chlorine hits his nose, and makes him feel like he’s _home_. He drops his stuff off at his locker, then walks a little quicker towards where he knows the team will be meeting for the first time with a little bounce in his step.

“Matsuoka, I didn’t think you’d make it.” The head coach, Coach Shimizu, grins. “Real glad that you decided to join us.”

“Thanks, Coach.” He nods, and takes a seat in the back. He’s not sure which of his teammates would be returning, and who the newbies would be. This was his perfect advantage to observe everyone coming into the room.

Bodies slowly trickle in, a few recognizable faces from before. The ones he knew on the 2016 team come over to him, giving each other a friendly embrace, and a ‘Good to see you’ to one another. The room begins to fill up, each member of the team taking a seat, and looking up at the front where Coach Shimizu is standing, talking with a few of the assistant coaches.

“Alright, everybody, settle down.” Coach Shimizu whistles, bringing the noise level to nothing, as each person stops talking. “I know some of you know each other, and some of you don’t. Today, we’re just going to have an informal meet and greet, and then we’ll head out to the pool. We’re just waiting for one of our assistant coaches to-”

The door pushes open, a frantic man looking at where Coach Shimizu is standing. “Sorry, Coach! I got lost, and wound up at the wrong room.”

Rin stares in shock, as he sees the person that’s walking over to his head coach. “Alright, we’ve got the entire team here now.” Coach Shimizu pulls the other assistant coaches up. “These will be your trainers for the next couple of years.” He introduces each of them, and then gets to the last person that had walked in late. “And this is our newest assistant coach, Makoto Tachibana.”

If the smile on his face wasn’t already large, it grew larger when the man was formally introduced. Even though Makoto seems to wear glasses all the time now, it’s still the same man he knew when he was in high school. Keeping his cap down, not knowing why because surely Makoto knows that he’s on the roster for the team, he just listens to his old friend introduce himself to the rest of the team, his voice joyful and enthusiastic. Just what this team needs, in order to win the gold for their country when it comes time.

“Alright! Get changed, and head to the pool. We’ll be doing laps for a bit, and then we’ll do some mock races, so we get an idea of what your times are like now. Any questions?” When no one says anything, the coach tweets his whistle. “Get changed!”

The team jumps up, and make their way out of the room, Rin getting lost in the shuffle. He had been hoping to go over to Makoto, but looks like that won’t be happening now. Going to the locker room, he gets changed into his jammers, and puts his goggles on around his neck. Stretching his arms, he walks towards the pool, and can see Makoto standing by himself, holding onto a clipboard. Deciding that now would be the best time, he walks over to him, and stands in front of him.

Makoto’s looking down still, unaware that it’s him that’s standing there. “You can get in the water, if you want. We’ll count off when the warmups will begin.”

“I had no idea you wanted to be a coach,” he says, instantly giving him his old friend’s attention.

“Rin!” Makoto’s green eyes light up, his smile contagious as Rin returns it. “The head coach said he wasn’t sure if you were going to make it or not!”

“Well, here I am.” He grins. “And boy, I’m super glad to see that you’re going to be one of our assistants.”

Smiling, his friend nods his head. “Since I gave up swimming, I found that I missed it a lot. This allows me to get my fill, when I know I’m not that good at competing.”

“Don’t say that,” he shakes his head. “You were great at backstroke.”

“Thanks, Rin.” The camaraderie that was once there in high school is back, making Rin feel more at ease in this situation than he did the first time he had done this. “I’m really glad you’re here,” Makoto smiles, pushing his glasses back up on his nose. “Want to get some dinner after practice?”

“I’d love that.” He nods, and begins to walk over to the water. “And, Makoto?” His friend looks at him, his head tilting to the side. “I’m really glad you’re here too.” He hops into the water feet first, ignoring how fast his heart is beating.

Practice goes well, Rin’s time less than desirable, but that’s what practice is for. To give them a good guideline on what each athlete needs to work up to for qualifying for the final event. After taking a quick shower to rinse off the chemicals from his body, he ties his hair back into twin pigtails, and then walks out of the locker room, bag on his shoulder. He sees Makoto standing by the door, waiting for him, but it seems like one of his teammates is talking to him. Not wanting to intrude, he hangs back, and sees Makoto look over at him, an apologetic smile on his face. He shakes his head, and leans against the wall, waiting patiently for him to finish up.

“Sorry about that,” Makoto says after another five minutes. “Guess all of these guys are happy there’s a younger assistant coach on the team.”

He grins, as the two of them walk towards the exit. “Yeah, it is rather nice. I mean, you’ve seen the other guys. They’re in the 30’s and 40’s. No offense to them, but it’s nice to have someone closer to our age to help us. Best of both worlds.” He points at the dormitory. “Mind if I go drop off my stuff?”

“Not at all. Want me to wait down here?” Makoto asks. “I already put my stuff away.”

“You can come up with me.” He digs into his pants, and grabs the keys he had been given upon arrival. “I guess I’m staying in room 245.”

“I’m right across the hall from you!” Excitement bubbles out of his friend’s throat.

“That’s such a huge relief.” Rin says, as they head up the stairs to their floor. “Seriously. It makes me happy to hear that.”

When he drops off his things, he grabs a jacket, and then the two of them head down the street to a ramen shop. Sitting down, Rin look at Makoto, and sees him looking at him with a strange look on his face. “What is it?” He asks, taking a sip of his water.

“Did you not get along with your teammates before?” Rin isn’t surprised by the question, because he knows Makoto is very smart, and can figure things out fairly quickly.

He gives a small shrug of his shoulders. “It’s not that we didn’t get along, it’s that I just felt like I never really belonged with them.” He sighs, looking down at his food. “The coach knows what I can do, because of my coach back in Australia, but even with that, I still didn’t perform that great. The guys I went with to Rio had all been training together for a year plus when I joined them, so it was very odd to try and fit into a dynamic that had already been established.”

“Well, you still went, though. That’s gotta count for something, right?” Makoto asks, after slurping some noodles into his mouth.

“It’s probably why I did so poorly,” Rin sighs. “I don’t want to make the same mistake this time around.”

“You won’t.” His friend has a smile on his face, which causes those rapid heartbeats to return. “This time, you’ve got me around.”

“I sure hope that’s the truth, Makoto.”

“Don’t worry, Rin.”

They share a look, Rin knowing that his friend is just trying to be upbeat and positive, but there’s a small piece of doubt in his mind. It’s easy to say ‘don’t worry’, but actually achieving it is something else entirely. But, he knows that his friend is usually right, and just has to believe him.

“I won’t.”

***

Training becomes more vigorous than he remembers from his first go around. Maybe because he had joined late, or maybe because with Makoto added into the mix, their training harder than they have before. Every day he goes back to his dorm, exhausted beyond belief, but always finds time to spend some time with Makoto. The two quickly become inseparable from on another, Coach Shimizu assigning Makoto to work with him, because he could see the results Rin was achieving by listening to what Makoto had to offer to him.

When it comes time to qualifying, though, those doubts return full force to Rin. It’s so bad two days before the trials that he holes himself up in his room, burying himself beneath his comforter to shut the outside world out. He hears someone knocking on his door, but doesn’t say a word. When the knocking becomes more insistent, he throws the comforter off, and yells out, “Go away!”

“Rin, it’s me.” Makoto. No. He can’t see him like this. No, no, no, no. “Can I please come in?”

“Go away, please! I’m not feeling very well today! I think I’m contagious!” He shouts, scooting back on the bed, drawing his knees up to his chest.

It’s quiet for a few moments, Rin feeling better knowing that his friend has gone away. “I don’t mind if you’re sick. Please? I’d like to talk to you.” Makoto’s voice travels through the door.

“Fine.” He knows there’s no point in trying to push him away, because Makoto has the patience of a saint, and will eventually wear the other person down. He gets up from the bed, and goes over to the door, unlocking it, then throws it open. “Did Coach Shimizu put you up to this?”

“No.” Makoto walks into the room, closing the door behind him. “He doesn’t know I’m here. I just know that you weren’t at practice.”

“I can’t do this, Makoto.” He draws his knees back up to his chest, hugging them close to his body. “I can’t go through this again.”

“Go through what?” His friend takes a seat on the bed, keeping his distance from him. “What’s wrong, Rin?”

Tears begin to slide down his cheeks. “I screwed up so bad before. I can’t do it again. I can’t keep losing. It’s too much.”

“You’re not going to lose. You’ve gotten the best times over the last two weeks consistently, each day improving your time by just a hair of a second.” Makoto speaks softly. “You have no reason to be so scared.”

“You don’t understand, Makoto.” He shakes his head. “I’ve got….I’ve got this old weight, that I carry around with me twenty four hours a day. All I can see is my time, against the person that had won the bronze. Those hairs of a second are all a person needs to be a winner, or a loser.” He starts to cry. “Please….I just want… let me lose this old weight that I tow.”

His friend reaches out, and takes both of his hands into his. “Rin, I can’t tell you that you will win, because that’s up to you. What I can tell you is that you don’t need to carry this weight alone. Let me help you? Please? I don’t want you to feel like you’re alone in this.”

“But I am, Makoto.” He sniffles, eyes still watery. “There’s no one to blame but myself.”

“No.” Makoto grips his hands tight. “You didn’t do anything wrong. If you did, you wouldn’t be here right now, would you? Do you think if you made such a bad mistake, that Coach Shimizu would allow you to come back?”

“I mean, I guess so.”

“If you mess up again, which you won’t, I’m telling you. I’m here. We’ll be miserable together, okay?” He leans forward, their foreheads connecting. “We’ll carry that weight together, Rin.”

He nods his head, keeping his forehead against Makoto’s. “Okay, Makoto. Okay.”

“Come on, come down to the pool with me? Let’s get some training done?”

Makoto pulls away from him, a smile on his face. He can’t help but return it, even if it isn’t as big as his friend’s. “Yeah, okay.”

They head down to the pool together, where he does his practice laps, then mock trials for the race, still coming in just before what he’d done the day prior. If he keeps this up, then he should be in good shape.

***

The day of the qualifying trials comes, Rin at a new level of anxiousness. Makoto keeps talking to him, his voice helping calm his nerves in one sense, and in another, makes him extremely anxious for an entirely different reason. When it comes time for his race in the 100 meter freestyle, he keeps his eyes on Makoto before stepping up to the block, knowing that whatever happens, his friend is here, and will take care of him.

Standing on the block, he gets into position for the start of the race. As soon as the cap gun sounds, he’s in the water, swimming frantically to get to the other side. His training kicks in, as he does his somersault at the end of the pool, pushing off the wall to start making his way back. He doesn’t pay attention to the swimmers around him, only concentrating on what he needs to get done. The top four swimmers will get to compete, while the rest will be on the reserve team. He has to get in the top four. He _has_ to. His hand slams against the wall, the buzzer sounding for him, then other buzzers start to go off around him.

Makoto’s standing in front of his lane, a huge smile on his face, his hand outstretched. Taking a few deep breaths, Rin takes his offered hand, and shakes off some water, as he looks at his friend. “What is it?” He asks, almost afraid to know the answer.

“Well….” Makoto points at the board.

On the board, it shows the times for all that had just done the 200 meters. His time was the best time on the board, almost by half a second. “I did it??” He stares at his friend, who still has that smile on his face.

“You did!”

“I did it!!”

“Yes!!” Makoto laughs, as Rin starts to jump up and down.

“I did it!!” He can’t stop laughing, all of those fears he had before seeming to melt away.

“Now, you have to do it again at the actual games.” Makoto says. “But, I’m pretty sure that won’t be a problem.”

“Aaaaaaaah!” He hugs his friend. “Sorry! I’m just-”

“It’s okay, Rin. I don’t mind.” Makoto returns the hug. “I’m proud of you. But, like I said, you’ll have to do this again.”

“I know, I know. Just, let me live in this moment, okay?” He grins.

“Okay.”

***

The Olympics arrive, Rin standing on the field for the opening ceremonies, Makoto standing behind their team. It feels so _good_ to have him be apart of this experience with him. This Olympics are different for more than just being on his home turf. It’s better because of Makoto.

When it comes time to his race, Makoto keeps him upbeat. “Listen to me, Rin. No matter what happens out there today, you’re a winner. Do you understand?” He asks him, sleeves rolled up to his elbows.

“I’m a winner.” He nods his head. “I can do this. No one in this race is better.”

“That’s right.” Makoto nods his head. “You’ve got this. Now, go win the gold for us.” He pats Rin’s shoulders with his hands.

He wants to say ‘not for us, for you’, but keeps it inside. He walks over to the block, and sees the other athletes sizing him up. Whatever. This will be a cakewalk. Even if he doesn’t win, he’s here with Makoto. There will be no hard feelings. He can do this.

Standing on the block, he snaps his goggles on the back of his head, tuning out everyone on the deck. He breathes deeply, bending his knees as he gets into his stance. When the buzzer sounds, he’s in the water on pure reflex, his body moving on its own. He kicks as hard as he can, while slicing his arms through the water, the end of the lane coming up fast. He somersaults, pushing hard off the wall, and finds himself swimming fast back towards the start. All he hears is the sound of his breathing, and the way his body glides through the water, like this is where he belongs. His hand slams hard on the wall, the race coming to an end, feeling like it had lasted all of two seconds.

The crowd is screaming. He pops up out of the water and looks around, watching as other swimmers finish the race. His eyes go to the scoreboard, and he feels his breath catch in his throat. “ _Matsuoka, Rin - 48.70”_ The next time on the board read “49.10.” He’d done it.

Hopping out of the water, his teammates surround him, all cheering and screaming for him. He looks around, and sees Makoto coming towards him, tears streaming down his face. He runs to him, and embraces him hard, the two clinging to each other, as their team stands nearby, the entire crowd on their feet. Screams ring throughout the hall, but he hears none of it. All he hears is Makoto crying, and hears him speaking into his ear.

“You did it, Rin. You did it!”

He sobs hard, clinging to him, as the events of the last Olympics gets swept away, and this feeling replaces it all. He’s won the gold for Japan, with his friend by his side. There’s no ‘I’ in this team. This team is true and genuine, giving him a real understanding of what it’s like to be apart of something big, like he had when he had attended Samezuka. But Makoto hadn’t been there with him then. They had been at rival schools, so this? This is better than it had been in high school, because they did this _together_.

After the medal ceremony, the two head back to the hotel they’re staying in. “Makoto?” He says, as they walk into the elevator.

“What is it, Rin?” His friend looks at him, both of them still all smiles.

“I need to tell you something.” He figures it’s now or never. Because he finally figured something out, after he had won the medal.

The elevator stops on their floor, people offering their congratulations to him as they walked by. “What is it?” Makoto asks, as they stop in front of Rin’s room.

When they get inside, Rin sits on the edge of the bed and gestures for him to sit next to him. “I’ve been thinking about stuff the last few weeks, and I’ve come to a conclusion.”

“Oh? What’s that?” Makoto asks, pushing his glasses back up on his nose. “You done with swimming now?” He teases him, a nervous smile on his face.

Laughing, Rin shakes his head. “No, you dork. I’m in love with you.”

It comes out of his mouth, shocking the both of them. But the shock disappears quick, as a smile that could light the darkest room up appears on Makoto’s face. “Took you long enough to figure that out.”

“Y-You mean, you knew?” Rin asks, as Makoto closes the distance to sit closer to him. “Why didn’t you say something??”

“You needed to figure it out on your own.” Rin moves to sit on his lap, the two staring into each other’s eyes. “Plus, you know, you had to compete in the Olympics, so…”  
He starts to cry happy tears. “D-Does this mean…?”

“It means that I love you too, yes.” Makoto presses a soft kiss against his lips. “Now, come on. It’s not every night you win a gold medal for your country. Let’s go get some free food and booze, hmm?”

The sobs that come out of his mouth are replaced by laughter. “Yeah, okay. That’s the only reason why you’re saying this now. Because you want the free stuff.” He slides off of his lap, and turns away.

Makoto steps behind him, hugging him from behind. “Not at all, Rin,” he speaks softly into his ear. “I’m just really hungry. I could have told you that I loved you a year ago.”

“That long??” Rin turns around, and looks up into Makoto’s eyes.

“I waited, though.” Makoto smiles softly, then rubs his nose against Rin’s. “Come on, let’s go celebrate. There’s time to discuss things later.”

“But, can we…?” Rin asks, afraid to say it.

“Be boyfriends?” Makoto finishes for him. Rin nods his head. “I’d like that.”

“Me too.”

“Then, come on. Get dressed, and let’s go out on the town.”

“You got it, _boyfriend_.” Rin teases him, kissing him quickly on the lips before disappearing into the bathroom to get changed out of his warm-ups.

The two of them spend the entire night out in Tokyo, each place they go to offering them free food, drinks, anything they could imagine. Rin’s glad he didn’t win back in Rio, because it wouldn’t have been anywhere near as fun as winning back in Japan. Of course, winning with Makoto Tachibana by his side also made it that much sweeter. The old weight is gone for good, Rin now filled with confidence that he can do anything he wanted. Especially with Makoto by his side.

* * *

 


End file.
